“We found that there is substantial credible evidence that the contras were engaged with some frequency in acts of terroristic violence directed at Nicaraguan civilians. These are individuals who have no connection with the war effort – persons with no economic, political or military significance.”

Professor Michael Glennon – Report to the International Human Rights Law Group

Today, Jim Wright, the Speaker of the House, is accused by House Republicains of having revealed classified intelligence information.

On Sept. 21, Wright told reporters that:

” he had received clear testimony from C.I.A. people that they have deliberately done things to provoke an overreaction on the part of the Government in Nicaragua.”

Wright’s political opponents in the House have called for a meeting of the Intelligence Committee to determine whether unauthorized disclosures had occurred. Wright categorically denied that he had revealed classified intelligence information.

”I didn’t say anything to you that was committed to me in any executive session of the Intelligence Committee. I did not say anything revealed to me as classified information by a member of the Intelligence Committee, and I did not say anything that was not already in the public domain,” Wright told reporters at his daily news briefing.

Although some details of the Iran-contra affair following the Congressional investigation, information regarding C.I.A. support for the internal opposition politicians in Nicaragua has remained classified.

According to Pr Glennon, “Terror” was used in the same sense as enacted United States law, namely:

“an activity that involves a violent act or an act dangerous to human life that Is a violation or the criminal law, and appears to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, or to affect the conduct of a government by assassination or kidnapping”.

According to a ranking State Department official, the US never investigated these crimes because the Reagan administration maintained a policy of “intentional ignorance” inspite of the fact theat they knew full well that “it was clear that the level of atrocities was enormous”.

Back to the Present (2008)

REUTERS reports that the confirmation of the United States ambassador to Libya has been blocked in the Senate until the last payment of compensation is actually made to the relatives of those killed at Lockerbie.

On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey put on hold the nomination of diplomat Gene Cretz to become Washington’s envoy to Libya until American victims were paid from a fund agreed on last month by both countries.

“Libya has not yet satisfied its obligations to U.S. victims of its terrorist acts and I will object to this nomination’s moving forward until those victims receive justice,” said Lautenberg, a Democrat. (…)

Appointing a U.S. ambassador was seen as one of the rewards for Libya giving up its weapons of mass destruction program in 2003, which led to a warming of ties between the former foes.

“The committee’s action … has sent an unequivocal message to the administration and Libya that the Senate will not appoint a U.S. ambassador until Libya has fulfilled the agreement,” said a statement from a group of families.’